Innocence
by Totally Alone
Summary: Chasing after his favourite cap, Syaoran stumbled upon an emerald eyed girl in an alley. At first he had decided to leave her in safe hands, but then her innocence captures his attention and sparks start to fly...SS.
1. Prologue

I decided to try writing a series next. Hopefully, this one will receive positive feedback. Well, on with the story!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura.**

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**Prologue**

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"Well, see you!" Syaoran waved a casual hand back at his buddies and left the football field, chestnut locks blown about by the wind. He tucked his belongings under one arm and placed his cap on his head, somewhat shading his intoxicatingly deep amber eyes.

The blazing afternoon sun shone down on him and burned his tanned skin, but he ignored it. He was used to it anyway. People milled about minding their own business and haggled vigorously with shopkeepers for a specific item, something very time-consuming. Syaoran never understood why they did that. Wasn't a fixed price a much faster way of completing their shopping?

A sudden gust of wind blew his cap off his head, sending it sailing above the heads of surprised citizens. Children squealed and tried to catch it while canines snapped their jaws and threatened to tear Syaoran's precious cap to shreds.

Syaoran groaned and started to chase after his airborne cap. He must not lose it, he must not! That was his favourite cap, after all.

_I knew I shouldn't have worn it to football practice today_, he grumbled inwardly.

Dodging classy ladies with pretty parasols over their dainty heads and portly gentlemen on the sidewalk, Syaoran was hot in pursuit of his cap. Some people stared at him as though he were some exhibition at a show, whereas others ignored him outright. That suited him fine. What he was doing was not their business anyway.

The wind seemed to be taunting him to chase his cap, pulling it out of his grasp as soon as Syaoran came close enough to catch it. Soon the brunette was pretty pissed off at the wind, pursuing his cap with renewed vigour.

The breeze drove it even higher so that it threatened to lodge itself amid the branches of a tree that grew along the sidewalk. More than once the poor cap was bumped unceremoniously against a bough and started to fall, but for some mysterious reason the wind would always pick up as soon as it lost strength. The cap would be whisked even higher into the air, always bouncing and teetering.

"Oh no you don't," Syaoran growled and increased his speed. He was now a blur of movement, legs carrying him as fast as he could go. He was not a national runner and renowned football player for nothing. His hair streaked back due to the wind that rushed past it, whipping it out of his angry amber eyes.

The wind finally chose to drop its load, gradually lowering the cap so that it hovered closer to the enraged boy. Syaoran continued to chase it, a determined glint in his eye. He was closer it to now…just a little bit further…

Suddenly his cap disappeared round a bend, and Syaoran had to refrain from cursing under his breath. He was from a respectable family, after all, and he should not – correction, _must_ not – curse.

His sport shoes screeched to a halt when he saw his cap landing on the dusty floor. Oh no, now it was going to get all dirty and stained with dirt. He would have to wash it once he got home….

"Got you!" he snarled as he snatched the cap off the ground. Dusting it with one hand, he scrutinized every inch of it before placing it on his head, a sense of victory and relief flooding him.

"Hm?"

Syaoran cocked his head to one side, looking every bit the heartthrob of the neighbourhood. His casual chestnut brown bangs fell into his eyes and enhanced his already striking features. What with the cap drooped over one eye and his sexy pose, it was no wonder girls fawned over him wherever he went.

His ears pricked up at a barely audible sound, very muffled and uncertain. Had he heard that? Or was it his imagination? Syaoran decided to wait for a while to confirm his suspicions.

One minute passed, and nothing else was heard. No sound, no movements, nada. He stood there patiently and allowed the wind to caress his hair. This time, he kept a firm hand on his cap lest the wind chose it as its plaything again.

A piece of crumpled paper rolled past him, rustling forlornly as it was blown along.

All was silent in the semi-dark lane. Trees whispered to one another and pointed at the lone teenager standing by himself, telling each other secrets only trees would know.

Still Syaoran waited, unmoving, one hand tucked into the pocket of his tracksuit. His keen amber eyes searched the area while his sharp ears were always alert, ready to pick up the slightest sound.

After five minutes of endless silence, he finally decided to dismiss it as a figment of his imagination. Perhaps it had been a stray moving about amid the rubbish –

Syaoran stiffened, eyes trained on the rubbish bin. His ears had detected yet another sound, and it seemed to come from the big green bin yonder. The sound was soft and ethereal-sounding, like a whisper lost in the wind, but he had caught it just the same.

Taking stealthy steps so that he would not scare whatever or whoever it was away, he approached the bin, trying his very best to avoid inhaling too much of the stench drifting from the pile of rubbish in it.

His ears pricked up once more. Yes, there was no mistaking it now. It was a sob, barely perceptible as it was.

So that would mean whatever it was, it was human.

Syaoran's brow furrowed. Who was it? And more importantly, where was he or she hiding?

He decided to take a peek into the disgusting-looking rubbish bin. It was not a very appealing choice, but if he had heard correctly, which he was sure he did, whoever it was had sobbed, and sobbing usually meant a person was sad and was in need of help or comfort.

Steeling himself against the stench, he peered into the bin and nearly retched. Forget the terrible stench. The sight that greeted him was horrible. Rotting fruit and meat were jumbled up in a heap there, mingling with smelly kitchen waste and other dispensable items.

In short, it was a disgusting sight to behold.

Syaoran decided to withdraw his head at once. _No one would hide in that bin anyway,_ he thought, scrunching up his nose in disgust. Heck, who would?

His ears distinctly picked up a stifled sob followed by a sniffle and a rustle of fabric. It lifted his courage and made him all the more determined to help the person in need.

Holding his breath, he closed his eyes and walked around it, praying that nothing too extreme would jump out at him.

"Hello? Anyone?" he called. His amber gaze fell on a huddled bunch of rags before moving away, thinking it was nothing but what is was: rags.

How very wrong he was.

A dirty face peeked out from among the rags, tear-streaked and messy. Vibrant coloured eyes of the rarest emerald hue stared at him with evident surprise.

As for him, he could not take his eyes off her either. He was fascinated by everything about her. Her porcelain smooth skin was the colour of the lightest caramel, just a shade away from giving her a pale appearance. And her huge doe-like forest green eyes really captured his attention. They were so…deep.

"Onii…chan," she murmured, delicate rosy lips barely parting. Syaoran found himself watching its every move, entranced by its lusciousness and the way it seemed to be formed with such perfection, the lips curving like two crescent moons adorning her dazzlingly beautiful face.

Suddenly the girl started forwards and snaked her skinny arms around his waist, hugging him. Syaoran was dumbstruck. He had never been comfortable among girls, and she was no exception. He realized with growing apprehension that he had been examining strands of silky brown hair at close proximity.

The girl nudged her head deeper into his chest. A sob escaped her as she clung onto his shirt as though for dear life. Syaoran gawked at her weird behaviour.

"Er…" he stuttered.

She responded by snuggling into him even further, her hug tightening.

"Miss…"

Syaoran was very uncomfortable. Watching her cry all over him really piqued his pity for her. What had caused her such sorrow?

Without him realizing it, his hand had descended on her back and was slowly patting her in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. He was shocked at what he felt beneath his fingers.

He could feel every one of her ribs, and the bumps on her backbone were visible even through her thin dress. It was dreadful. Syaoran tried to get a better look at her face, hoping that it had not shared the same fate her frail-looking body did.

Thankfully, it did not, although it was stained with a great deal of grime, as was her hair. Her brown locks fell lifeless from her shoulders, a carpet of matted hair.

"Come on," Syaoran said as calmly as he could, running a hand through her hair. He pulled back right away when his fingers threatened to entangle themselves in her hair.

The girl looked up, emerald eyes searching his face, expression questioning. She was so adorable despite the dirt that caked her body.

When she did not budge, Syaoran sighed and slipped an arm beneath her body and carried her in his arms, bridal style. He handled her as though she was a fragile piece of work, ready to break at any moment. She looked it, anyway.

Syaoran stared into the depths of her emerald orbs, taking in the deepness in them with a passion. They seemed so…_different_ from the eyes of others. Syaoran could not put his finger on it.

A shiver went down his spine when the girl in his arms lifted a finger to trace his cheek. Syaoran forced himself to tear his eyes away from her and focus on his destination:

Home.

And he was bringing her along with him. He could not leave her out on the streets alone, after all.

**END OF PROLOGUE**

….

**Author's Notes**:

Well, I'm still unsure whether I should continue this story or not. So…hm…let's decide it this way. I won't continue if there are less than five reviews okay? That's not much to ask for…plus I really need to know if I should continue this or not.

The action will start in the next chapter, if there is going to be one.

Bye!


	2. Chapter 1

Wow, thanks for the reviews! I never thought you people would like it so much (I thought you'd hate it actually)! Well, here's the first chapter for you! I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura.**

Snippets from the previous chapter…

_Syaoran stared into the depths of her emerald orbs, taking in the deepness in them with a passion. They seemed so…different from the eyes of others. Syaoran could not put his finger on it._

_A shiver went down his spine when the girl in his arms lifted a finger to trace his cheek. Syaoran forced himself to tear his eyes away from her and focus on his destination:_

_Home._

_And he was bringing her along with him. He could not leave her out on the streets alone, after all._

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**Chapter 1**

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Syaoran squirmed uncomfortably. He could feel dozens of inquisitive eyes burning a hole into his back, and it was no wonder. After all, a guy carrying a bedraggled young girl in his arms, bridal style, was not something one sees every day.

That piece of knowledge did nothing to lessen his awkwardness. And the way the girl kept snuggling into his jacket was not helping either.

He walked as fast as he could towards his apartment, keeping his eyes on the stone pavement before him. His face was beetroot red with embarrassment by the time he stood before his door.

Hastily, he fumbled for his keys, searching as well as he could while trying to keep the girl in his arms. It was no easy job.

"Keys, keys, keys, where are those keys d -!" he grumbled, stopping himself from cursing in the nick of time. Must not curse, _must not curse_, _must_…_not_…_curse_…_GRR!_

Suddenly his silver keys dangled in front of his eyes. Syaoran blinked and accepted them, only to find that he had touched something soft and warm. He traced it to a hand, and finally an arm belonging to the grubby-looking girl he now held in his arms.

"N-Nani?! How – Where did you -" he sputtered. Wordlessly, she pointed to the left pocket of his jacket and snuggled once more into his chest, her fingers curling around the soft fabric.

Syaoran fidgeted and hurriedly stuck the right key into the lock. The door clicked open, welcoming its master.

A whirlwind entered and slammed the door shut, panting heavily. Syaoran doubled over and tried to catch his breath, the mysterious girl still lying in his arms. She blinked and stared at him.

"So, who are you?" he gasped as soon as he caught his breath.

She cocked her head to the side as though contemplating her answer. She then lifted a finger and pointed at herself. Syaoran nodded.

"What is your name?"

"Watashi wa…" she trailed off hesitantly, unsure of how much she could reveal to this stranger who had carried her off to this scary new world. "Wa…Watashi wa…Ki-Kinomoto…Sakura. Anata wa…?"

"Li Syaoran."

She nodded and laid her head on his chest. Syaoran blanched, but he was reluctant to push her away. Ethic code: Never defy a lady. Even when she makes you feel _extremely_ uncomfortable.

"Why don't you take a shower?" he suggested, cooking up a polite way to get away from her.

"Clothes," she murmured, tugging at her grimy dress. It was torn here and there, and Syaoran could not decipher its true colour. In fact, all he could see of the fabric was brown.

Syaoran was in a dilemma. What was he to do?! He did not have any girls' clothes with him (why should he? He was no pervert, and definitely _not_ an avid lingerie collector).

_Well,_ he sighed inwardly. _She would have to do with a set of mine, I suppose_. He tried to get up but was pulled back. He glanced down.

Syaoran could have smacked himself. How could he have forgotten that she still clung to him? Gently (and none too happily because he had to touch a _girl_), he pried her fingers off his jacket and ushered her into the bathroom.

He sighed in relief when the door clicked shut, slumping into a chair.

"Li-kun?"

Syaoran shot up like a bullet and whirled around. Sakura was peeking out of the bathroom and was staring at him quizzically.

"What is it?" he sputtered, taking care not to look at her.

"How do I use it?" She opened to door wider (Syaoran only heard the door creaking, he did not see it) and indicated the shower. "Li-kun?"

"Mm?"

"Help?"

Syaoran covered his eyes with his hands and turned to face her. He closed his eyes tight, unwilling to open them. What if…what if…?

"Can you wear your clothes first?" he asked, carefully keeping his eyes closed.

Sakura looked at him, puzzled. "Clothes?"

"Yes, clothes. Wear your dress first."

"Um, Li-kun?"

"Yes?"

The girl sighed and opened the door wide, exposing her body. Syaoran yelled and backed away.

Of course, since his eyes were shut, he tripped over his sofa and he fell down with a crash, bringing the sofa with him. Sakura winced.

"Li-kun, daijoubu?" she queried once the dust had settled. Syaoran was winded, his legs and arms sticking out at weird angles. His sofa lay on its side, none the worse for its fall.

"Aaah! Stay away from me! Stay away!" he yelled, waving his arms wildly.

"Li-kun."

"Wear your dress first!"

"LI-KUN."

"N-Nani?"

"Open your eyes."

"Iie." He could not do this, he could not do this, _he could not do this_! It would take away her dignity!

Sakura sighed and bent over him. Syaoran shuddered and tried to back away. His sofa blocked his only escape route.

_Poke, poke_.

The boy squirmed about on the floor.

_Poke._

Sakura prodded him gently upon receiving no response other than squirms. "Open your eyes."

"Iie!"

The girl reached out and pried his fingers away from his eyes, one by one. Syaoran cringed when her amazingly soft fingers made contact with his skin, closing his eyes all the tighter.

Now his face was exposed to her. Unfortunately, his eyelids hid his eyes from view.

"Open your eyes now," she commanded in that soft voice of hers.

Syaoran shook his head vigorously.

"Just open your eyes."

"Wear your dress first."

Sakura snorted. "I _am_ dressed, silly."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Syaoran peeked out tentatively through his fingers, taking care to avoid looking at her body. The girl groaned. How long does it take for him to understand that she was not nude?!

Frustrated, she grabbed his hand. Her actions elicited an indignant yell of protest from him. She ignored him and brushed it against a portion of her dress.

"There. Happy now?"

Syaoran slapped himself mentally for his stupidity. How could he have thought that she would appear in front of him naked? Sheesh. There goes his pride…

"Hai, fine. So, help with the shower, was it?" he said, trying to keep his cool. Sakura smiled and nodded energetically, reverting from a teenager to a child faster than Syaoran could blink.

"Ikuyo."

….

Syaoran grabbed the door of his wardrobe and banged his head against it repeatedly.

"Baka Syaoran."

_BANG._

"Baka Syaoran!"

_BANG._

"_Baka Syaoran!_"

_BANG BANG BANG_ –

"Li-kun?"

Syaoran froze in the middle of banging his head, amber eyes wild. Sakura stood at the door, a green towel wrapped around her thin body. The boy's eyes widened and he looked away immediately, a red wave creeping up his face.

"What are you doing?"

"A-Ah, nothing Kinomoto-san. Here -" he shoved a set of his clothes into her hands "- wear these."

Sakura examined them carefully. "Boy's…clothes?"

"They're all I've got," he said briefly.

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence reigned. Neither Sakura nor Syaoran made any move to break the ice.

"Um," the brunette's tinkling voice shattered the silence, shaking Syaoran out of his awkwardness.

"…" Syaoran watched her apprehensively. What was this girl a.k.a. the Biggest Mystery in the Universe going to do?

"Can you go out while I change?"

"What? Oh yeah, sure," he said sheepishly and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Sakura flashed him a shy smile.

When he was safely out of his room, Syaoran heaved a sigh. Then he blinked. "What the -?! That's _my_ room!" _Why _was he _kicked out_ of _his own room_?! Oh wait, he had left it voluntarily when Sakura requested it, right?

Growling under his breath, he stuck his hands into his pockets and waited…and waited…and…waited….

Just as he was about to nod off to Dreamland, the door to his room swung open to reveal Sakura in his clothes. Syaoran was jerked out of semi-consciousness to gape at her.

Well, what do you know.

That girl actually looked _good_ in boy's clothes.

Sakura was leaning against the door, giving him the impression of a cool person with a laid-back attitude. His forest green shirt hung from her shoulders, reaching her thighs. Beige cargo pants hid her legs from view. Albeit giving her a shrunken look, it suited her perfectly.

Plus the red cap she wore gave an additional touch to her 'bad boy' look…

Syaoran's eyes widened. Red cap?!

"N-Nani -" he sputtered. "- Is that _my cap_ you're wearing?"

Sakura raised a brow and fingered the cap that was resting on her wet brown locks. Her hair did not look half so lifeless now that the dirt and grime had been washed out of them. She gave the cap a little push, tilting it so that it drooped over one of her emerald eyes and gave the infuriated Syaoran a quizzical look.

"This?"

"_Yes_," he growled. "Now give it back!"

He lunged at her, his angry brown eyes trained on his beloved cap. She dodged him so agilely that it caught him unawares.

Sakura stuck out a pink tongue at him, and that angered him even more. How dare she provoke him?! And with his favourite cap, too!

Using the skills he had learnt back in Hong Kong, Syaoran slipped past her and tried to retrieve his cap. She ducked, and that made him lose his footing.

The boy did a graceful turn in the air and landed on all fours like a cat. Snarling, he dashed towards Sakura, who dodged his move again. So started the game of cat and mouse between the host and his unexpected guest.

….

"I've got you now," Syaoran growled, slowly closing in on his prey a.k.a Kinomoto Sakura. The terrified female backed away, only to find her back against solid wall.

"Eep," she squeaked. All that running and hiding had caused a red tinge to invade her face. Her previously pale features were flushed and sweaty.

Syaoran was angry. No, scratch that, he was _furious_. How dare she steal his favourite cap?! _And_ lead him on a pointless hide-and-seek game too.

He was now directly in front of her, staring into her deep emerald eyes. Wordlessly he accused her for nicking his cap and making him chase her around his apartment. Sakura was silent, returning his glare with a timid glance.

Suddenly she lurched forwards, her eyes closing. Syaoran was startled by the sudden change but moved quickly. He caught her limp form in his arms, her body pressed very close to his chest.

Sakura did not move. Syaoran shook her, first gently then roughly. Still no response. Panic rose in his chest and he checked her wrist frantically for a pulse. It was rather irregular, but he dismissed it since they had been running about his house for the past hour. Frowning, he turned her face upwards and felt her forehead.

Syaoran sighed. Sakura had fainted because of a fever, and a high one at that.

….

_FRUSH._

Syaoran squeezed excess water out of a face towel, draining it of extra moisture. The water dripped down and swirled about in a basin conveniently situated at Syaoran's feet.

The boy sighed and placed the slightly damp cloth on Sakura's forehead. She murmured in her sleep and shifted her position, causing the cloth to slip off her forehead and onto her face. Syaoran replaced it and sat back with another sigh.

His weary amber eyes traveled around his room, finally resting on the skinny figure on his bed. The sight of the fragile female brought forth a groan from him and he hid his face in his hands.

What was he to do with her?

She could not live with him, of course. The mere thought of it was absurd. A _girl_, living with him? No way. He _hated_ girls.

He could always set her up with a couple somewhere. Or perhaps he could send her to an orphanage? Oh wait, he did not even know her age.

Syaoran moaned and massaged his temples.

He would leave the thinking for another day.

For now, all he wanted to do…was to sleep.

**END OF CHAPTER 1**

….

**Author's Notes:**

Well, that's the first chapter! I hope you liked it!

Let's raise the bar a bit. Ten reviews before I continue? Don't worry; I won't do this anymore. I just want to reassure myself that this story is worth continuing. I find it rather hard to believe….


	3. Chapter 2

Once again, I would like to thank those who reviewed this fan fiction of mine. They were really encouraging. Sue me for lacking confidence. No wait, don't sue me. Here's chapter two to compensate okay?

**Disclaimer: Do I sound as though I own Card Captor Sakura? Obviously not.**

A little recap before we start:

_His weary amber eyes traveled around his room, finally resting on the skinny figure on his bed. The sight of the fragile female brought forth a groan from him and he hid his face in his hands._

_What was he to do with her?_

_She could not live with him, of course. The mere thought of it was absurd. A girl, living with him? No way. He hated girls._

_He could always set her up with a couple somewhere. Or perhaps he could send her to an orphanage? Oh wait, he did not even know her age._

_Syaoran moaned and massaged his temples._

_He would leave the thinking for another day._

_For now, all he wanted to do…was to sleep._

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**Chapter 2**

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"Hey Li, here!" someone yelled brusquely, running before Syaoran. The boy nodded and kicked the black-and-white ball hard in the direction of his fellow footballer.

The ball connected with a sport shoe-clad foot and was sent flying away towards the goalpost, whizzing past players as fast as a bullet. All eyes were trained on it, burning with determination and hope.

There was an outburst of groans when the tips of the goalkeeper's gloves managed to fend the ball out of the goalpost. Syaoran tensed and moved away, his eyes watching the sphere carefully.

"Boy that guy kicks like a girl," someone snickered. The opposing team chortled and some even commented openly about the weakness of Syaoran's team. Of course, that pissed him off.

Speaking of girls…what was he to do with the Kinomoto girl at home? What was she doing now? Ah well. He could not care less as long as his things were left intact.

"Oi, Li, watch out!" his team mate barked, charging towards him. Syaoran blinked.

"Nani?" His eyes widened when he saw the football shooting towards his face. There was no time to react, no time to get out of the way –

_SMACK._

"Itai!" Syaoran yelped, trying to rub his sore nose. Unfortunately, his hand did not seem to contact with his throbbing skin.

The only reply he received was a light snoring.

Wait, snoring? What about the match? And what was this scented hand doing on his face? It smelled of soap.

Disgusted, he smacked the hand away, wrinkling his nose. Whose was it? He lived alone, after all.

The 'someone' shifted in his or her sleep. Several strands of rich brown hair, slightly dampened by sweat, drooped down and tickled his chin. Syaoran was scared out of his wits.

His terrified eyes caught a glimpse of drool traveling down That Person's pale chin and staining his pillow. The gentle snores seemed to emanate from that person too…

The boy could have smacked himself. Of course, it was that girl he brought home. Kinomoto Sakura, was it? Well, well. Who knew that girls could snore?

He nearly had a heart attack when one sleepy eye blinked at him. Sakura lifted her head to get a better look at him. Boy, he must have looked like an idiot.

"Li-kun?" she murmured sleepily. "What are you doing? Why didn't you sleep on the bed?"

Syaoran just _had_ to raise an eyebrow at her naivety. "Why?" he echoed incredulously. The girl nodded, her messy brown hair getting in the way of her sight.

"Yep."

"Because, my dear guest, you're sleeping on the only bed available."

Sakura blinked, clueless. A small 'oh' dropped from her lips and her eyes widened as she digested the information.

_Finally_, he thought, rolling his eyes inwardly.

"Gomen nasai!" the girl screamed and scrambled off the bed, dragging all the sheets with her. Luck was not by her side that morning. Her leg got entangled in the coverlets and caused her to trip, _right onto Syaoran_.

"Oof," he grunted. His breath was knocked out of his body by her weight. Sakura was sprawled squarely on his chest with her cheek resting on his shirt.

"Itai…" she moaned, shaking her head. Her actions sent wafts of mint towards him. Once again, Sakura's eyes grew impossibly wide when the knowledge of her awkward position entered her mind.

Rolling off him, she started to apologize profusely, bowing every so often. Syaoran winced as he sat up.

"Gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai!" she cried.

"All right, all right, apology accepted."

Sakura appeared not to notice and resumed her stream of apologies, earning an incredulous look from Syaoran.

"I suppose your fever's abated," he said, judging by her eccentric behaviour. The girl stopped her ranting to stare at him.

"Fever?"

"Yes, you were sick the day before."

"Oh. And Li-kun helped me?"

He fidgeted unconsciously. "Yes."

Sakura's face broke into a huge smile. "Arigatou Li-kun!" And with that she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"W-What -!" he sputtered. His tanned face quickly took on a deep red colour, and it was not out of pleasure. "Let go…of…me…!"

Her only response was snuggling deeper into his chest, something he did not appreciate in the least.

"Can't…breathe…" he wheezed, trying, and failing, to loosen the iron grip she had on his body. Sakura's eyes snapped open and she sprang back, apologizing endlessly once more.

Syaoran sighed. This was going to be a long day….

"Um, Li-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Can I take a bath?" she squeaked timidly.

He blanched. "S-Sure, why not?"

Sakura flashed him an impossibly wide smile and made to hug him again, but he backed away in a hurry.

"Um, go and bathe now okay?"

"I'll need clothes."

"R-Right."

Once again, she appeared close to crushing him in another hug, but he sidestepped and dashed towards his room.

He grabbed the phone as soon as the door slammed shut. Skillfully, he dialed a number single-handedly, all the while praying that he would answer.

The monotone beeps seemed to last for an eternity, each beep signifying another moment of torture. Finally someone picked up the receiver and spoke into the phone.

"Moshi moshi, Hiiragizawa residence."

"Moshi moshi. Syaoran here. May I speak to Eriol please?"

….

"So, Li-kun, why did you bring me out?" Sakura asked, tucking a stray lock of her brown hair behind her ear. Her left hand was stuck into the pocket of her faded blue jeans.

This time Syaoran had spared her a red shirt laced with white around the edges and a pair of matching sneakers. Her wayward brown hair was held down by a forest green bandanna with golden stitches.

"To buy you some clothes. You can't very well borrow mine all the time," he replied, trudging up a crowded sidewalk.

"Oh." After a moment's pause she looked up with a doubtful expression on her face. "Li-kun, am I being a burden?"

Syaoran was taken aback by her melancholy statement. Sakura had lowered her gaze once more to the gray cement pavement, hiding her emerald eyes from view.

"Hm…"

Yes? Or no? To be frank, he himself was unsure. His life had been enjoyable enough before she had graced him with her presence. Was it any different now?

_Of course it is! You admitted a girl into your house!_ Syaoran's mind whispered.

Argh. Why did he bother himself with this tedious question anyway? Did he not plan on sending her away soon?

"Li-kun -" Sakura stared at him beseechingly "- please answer me."

"Well, I -"

"Konnichiwa," a cool voice said. Syaoran whirled around in relief. He was saved!

"Ah, Eriol," he acknowledged, inclining his head. He blanched when he felt a pair of skinny arms snake their way around his body. At the same time a soft pressure was exerted on his back. The poor boy turned an unpleasant shade of red.

Eriol grinned, his spectacles flashing in the bright sun. "And who is this charming young lady?"

His cousin cringed and blushed even harder, if that was possible. "She's the one I told you about. Kinomoto-san, meet Hiirigazawa Eriol. Eriol, meet Kinomoto Sakura."

"Hello. Pleased to meet you," Eriol said warmly, extending a hand. Sakura shook her head and hid behind Syaoran, her fingers curling around his jacket all the tighter. The raven haired boy chuckled. "Quite the shy one you have there."

"Do you really need to remind me?" Syaoran groaned then stopped upon remembering that the person mentioned was clinging onto him that very moment. But it was too late. Sakura had heard every word. Her face fell and she looked down, finding the laces of her sneakers an object of her interest.

"Tsk, tsk, cousin. You shouldn't be talking about a young lady that way," Eriol reprimanded with a mocking smile. Syaoran bristled. "Anyway, I brought a friend to aid you."

"Who is it?"

"Daidouji-san, of course." He waved at the girl at his side, whose camcorder hung from her neck. Her raven black hair reached down to her elbows.

"Konnichiwa Li-kun," she chirped in a high soprano voice. "And who's that – aww kawaii!"

Sakura started when the high-pitched squeal reached her ears. "Li-kun," she whimpered. Syaoran was flustered and hot. The tightening of her grip on his jacket only served to remind him that a girl was hanging onto him, and that did not please him in the least.

"Who's she?" Tomoyo asked, cocking her head quizzically.

"Erm." Was all Syaoran managed to say. "Eriol? Help?"

Said boy chuckled. "I'll leave you to get out of this mess alone. But I'll introduce the girls to each other. Daidouji-san, that is Kinomoto Sakura. And Kinomoto-san, this girl is Daidouji Tomoyo."

Tomoyo's face spread into a wide smile. "Kawaii! A cute name for a cute girl!" she squealed, causing Sakura to take a fearful step backwards. "Ikuyo, let's go shopping! What clothes! They're not suited for a girl! Are they yours, Li-kun?"

"Hai."

The raven haired girl moved forward to inspect Sakura's – or rather, Syaoran's – choice of clothing. "Tsk, tsk. Wait, Li-kun!" she gasped, horrified. "If what she is wearing are your clothes, is she wearing any undergarments?"

Syaoran balked, Sakura blushed and Eriol simply looked on with a mysterious smile on his face. Tomoyo ignored them all and went over Sakura with a critical eye that made the brunette feel as though she was on display with Tomoyo the buyer.

She made to take Sakura's hand, but Sakura moved aside, maneuvering Syaoran so that he acted as her human shield. Needless to say, he was very uncomfortable.

"Li-kun, I don't want to go with her," she whimpered, hugging him all the tighter. Observing his cousin, Eriol was surprised that Syaoran's face did not burst, considering the extremely deep shade of red it had adopted.

"Kinomoto…san…Can't…breathe…" the boy wheezed. Sakura released him immediately, apologizing profusely.

Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged glances before breaking into peals of laughter. Syaoran's tousled head jerked up to glare at them.

"I thought you were supposed to be my _friends_! Help me out of this!"

That only served to increase their laughter.

Sakura looked from one party to the other, her eyes roving from Syaoran to his two friends and back to Syaoran again. Neither seemed ready to help her saviour. Seeing that, she decided to take the matter into her own hands.

Placing a hand on each of his elbows, she tried to help him up, unmindful of the sudden tensing of his muscles. Eriol snickered when he saw Syaoran's dumbstruck face.

"Come on, stand up Li-kun," Sakura grunted. Suddenly she slipped and fell hard on her bottom, dragging Syaoran along in an unintentional headlock.

Tears of mirth formed in Eriol and Tomoyo's eyes as they witnessed Syaoran choking in Sakura's death grip.

Sakura came to first, shaking her head to clear it. "Itai…ne, where's Li-kun?" her eyes widened when she saw Syaoran sprawled on the pavement with his head resting on her stomach, apparently knocked out.

"Li-kun!" she screamed and tried to wake him by slapping him repeatedly on the cheeks. "Li-kun, wake up Li-kun!"

In front of the duo, Eriol and Tomoyo laughed harder than ever.

"Oh Sakura-chan, you'll be the death of me!" Tomoyo cried.

"_LI-KUN_!"

….

In the end, Tomoyo had to drag Sakura away from Syaoran. Sakura did not follow her without a struggle though. She screamed in protest and clasped Syaoran closer to her body, all the while shaking her head madly.

"_Nonono_ let me go!" she yelled.

"Come on, you're going to love it! We'll go shopping while the boys chat okay?" Tomoyo said in an effort to soothe the girl's ruffled feathers.

"Iie!" Sakura said stubbornly. Tomoyo pulled at her again. Sneakers screeched as the law of friction was applied to its soles. Despite that, its wearer a.k.a. Sakura was dragged towards Tomoyo, much to her annoyance.

"Come on -"

"Don't take me away!"

"Look, Kinomoto-san," Syaoran interrupted, red in the face from all the attention Sakura was garnering. "Just go with Daidouji-san whilst Eriol and I talk okay?"

"Demo -" she whimpered, applying her oh-so-adorable puppy-dog eyes on him. Syaoran blanched and backed away.

"Ooh look there are some befitting clothes for you! Come on Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said, pulling a very indignant Sakura behind her.

"Li-kun, help meeee!"

Syaoran merely sighed and left the girls to their own devices. Soon the screaming was muffled, probably because Tomoyo had clapped a hand over Sakura's mouth.

"That's an energetic lady you have there," Eriol said amicably, folding his arms. His words elicited a string of incredulous sputters from his cousin.

"Lady! You call that girl a lady?!"

"Well, yes. And she seems to have taken a liking to you." He winked at Syaoran, who glared in return.

"You know what I think when it comes to girls."

"Yes…but this time, what you think doesn't count."

"Whatever," Syaoran muttered, acknowledging defeat. That cousin of his was too witty for words anyway. "Thanks for asking Daidouji-san to come along anyway. I wouldn't have known what to do with Kinomoto-san. What am I to do with her?"

"You're welcome. As for Kinomoto-san, that's up to you. Oh, and you have to take her feelings into consideration as well," Eriol said with a smirk.

"Could I leave her in an orphanage?"

"If you know her age, but you'll need to fill in her particulars as well…very tedious job if you ask me. Plus, how are you going to explain how she ended up in your house? And -"

"Okay, okay, slow down a little!" Syaoran groaned. "Any other options?"

"You could set her up with an elderly couple if you want," his cousin offered.

"Well," Syaoran pondered his chances. "I suppose I could. Any suggestions, Eriol?"

"Why don't you try figuring that out yourself? She is your charge, after all," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Eriol…" the latter growled. Any further argument was cut off by the arrival of two…mountains of shopping bags?!

"Hello," one mountain spoke, sounding oddly muffled. "Care to lend a hand?" Unfortunately, what the two boys heard was, "Arrow, hare oo wend a hair?"

Syaoran and Eriol exchanged weird glances.

"Um…Daidouji-san is that you?"

"Yersh. (Yes)" One of the two mountains beckoned and allowed several shopping bags to slide off, revealing a skinny arm. Eriol stepped forward and picked up the bags, smiling up at the mountain.

"You went on a shopping spree, I see."

The top of the mountain wobbled. A moment later, shopping bags of all shapes and sizes rained down on the two petrified boys – well, Eriol was not half as petrified as his cousin was. Syaoran, on the other hand, balked and tried to evade the landslide, failing miserably.

"Oops. Sorry Hiirigazawa-kun, Li-kun," Tomoyo said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Dai…joubu…" Syaoran sputtered, twitching. Beside Tomoyo, a girl with chocolate brown hair and beautiful emerald eyes blinked, confused.

"Li-kun! What just happened?" she questioned, earning some embarrassed chuckling from her new-found friend.

"Are all these for Kinomoto-san?" Syaoran gawked in disbelief.

Tomoyo nodded energetically. "Yes!"

And then there was a resounding crash as Syaoran fell down, lost amid countless shopping bags.

Eriol gazed at the area where Syaoran was last spotted with a smile on his face. "That sure knocked him out like a light," he mused cheerfully.

"Li-kun daijoubu!" Sakura screamed, scrambling about in the hopes of searching for the boy.

Tomoyo and Eriol chuckled. They shared identical conniving looks on their faces. Having Kinomoto Sakura around would definitely change Syaoran's life…drastically.

**END OF CHAPTER 2**

….

**Author's Notes**:

Okay, in my opinion this chapter was bad. REALLY bad. What do you think? -grumbles-

Review please. Normal reviews, criticism, and yes, even flames are accepted. BUT. The flame must be reasonable okay? Don't send a review full of pretty words. Tell me my flaws.

That doesn't mean I like flames, mind you. In fact I'd rather not receive any at all.

Ah well. Ignore this cracked person. Please leave a review after you read okay? They mean a lot to me.


	4. Chapter 3

Oops. Sorry for the delay, readers! I forgot what I originally wanted to use…sort of. Anyway, here's chapter 3, at last!

Warning: This chapter is unedited, so expect mistakes. I will correct them when I have the time. Thank you.

**Disclaimer: What's the point of writing fan fiction if I own Card Captor Sakura? But since I don't, on with the story!**

Recap:

_"Are all these for Kinomoto-san?" Syaoran gawked in disbelief._

_Tomoyo nodded energetically. "Yes!"_

_And then there was a resounding crash as Syaoran fell down, lost amid countless shopping bags._

_Eriol gazed at the area where Syaoran was last spotted with a smile on his face. "That sure knocked him out like a light," he mused cheerfully._

_"Li-kun daijoubu!" Sakura screamed, scrambling about in the hopes of searching for the boy._

_Tomoyo and Eriol chuckled. They shared identical conniving looks on their faces. Having Kinomoto Sakura around would definitely change Syaoran's life…drastically._

**---**

**Chapter 3**

**---**

"Ooer."

Syaoran sighed. "Is that all you can say, Kinomoto-san?"

"Er."

The two teenagers stood knee-deep in the many shopping bags they had miraculously lugged home from the mall. Syaoran's muscles were screaming in protest long before they had reached his doorstep.

As he tried his best to wade through the sea of clothes, a new resolution wormed its way into his mind.

Never, **_EVER_**, let Daidouji Tomoyo bring Kinomoto shopping again.

"Gomen nasai?" Sakura tried, scrambling over a particularly big pile of garments.

"Gomen nasai, my ass," the boy muttered angrily under his breath. Aloud, he said, "Can you please organize your things? My living room is a mess."

Sakura blinked. "It is?"

"Take a look around."

It took her some time before she was able to comprehend his simple statement, and when she finally did, her only reaction was to blink stupidly at him.

"What…?" she mouthed.

Syaoran fell down comically onto the floor, cushioned by the various clothing scattered there. The impact caused some of the bedding to be thrown into the air.

There were some scrabbling noises as Sakura made her way desperately towards him. "Li-kun, daijoubu?"

Something soft landed on his face. Syaoran frowned beneath the thin fabric and lifted a hand to remove it.

His amber eyes widened as his brain worked at lightning speed, trying to digest the bad news he held in his hand. Oh no.

Somewhere within him, a bomb ticked away merrily, awaiting the moment to explode.

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

KA-BOOM.

"**_KINOMOTO SAKURA, GET YOUR LINGERIE OUT OF MY LIVING ROOM THIS INSTANT_**!"

"HAI!"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, set Syaoran's new resolution in stone.

Never, **ever**, let Kinomoto Sakura go shopping again, Daidouji-san or no Daidouji-san.

….

_Knock, knock._

"Um. Li-kun?"

"What is it?" he snapped, looking up from the magazine he was poring over. Could she not leave him alone?

_Manners, Syaoran, manners…._

Syaoran's throat rumbled as he fought to restrain an outburst of irritated and not-so-beautiful words from pouring out of his mouth. Boy, it was hard. And the fact that Miss Invader had the courtesy to litter his house with ladies' garments of all kinds was _not_ helping.

Li Syaoran was extremely pissed off. Nevertheless, he had to control his anger. He _must_.

"May I come in?" Sakura's sweet voice sounded from outside the door.

Taking care not to smack the poor magazine onto the coffee table, Syaoran stood up and proceeded to welcome her into his room. His fingers rested on the doorknob rather hesitantly, unwilling to twist the brass knob.

He could almost picture her now, with her head cocked to the side and with a patient expression on her face, her emerald eyes the very picture of calamity. Her hands would be intertwined, as was her habit.

"Ne, Li-kun?" she tried again, knocking tentatively on the door.

_Okay, breathe, Syaoran, breathe,_ he instructed himself. _She's only a girl_…a girl in _his_ **HOUSE**.

The boy growled and kicked the wastepaper basket, which was conveniently positioned nearest to him. The poor basket toppled onto its side, spilling its contents.

"Li-kun, daijoubu?" Sakura sounded quite desperate. He could hear her voice tremble slightly as it broke.

A sigh left his lips and he frowned. Might as well let her in…she had been waiting long enough.

With that thought in mind, he wrenched the door open to meet a depressed Sakura in the eye.

"What do you want?" he asked. A glimmer of sorrow passed through Sakura's eyes.

She did the angelic look and widened her eyes adorably, making Syaoran gulp. Oh no…not _this_.

"Li-kun, will you forgive me?" she asked cutely, taking a step closer to him.

His throat felt dry. He felt his inability to speak very much, especially since that meant he was rendered helpless.

"Please?"

"Aa…I…"

Sakura turned on her unbeatable puppy-dog eyes, forcing Syaoran to surrender.

"Uh…why don't you come in?" he said lamely, trying to cover his stuttering. "And have you cleared the hallway?"

His shoulders relaxed when she nodded mutely, watching him intently in a way that made him squirm. Who knew that girls had that much power?

"Demo…" she trailed off. Syaoran tensed up again. What was she going to say?

Sakura beckoned him to follow her and led him to the storeroom. Syaoran was puzzled. Why lead him here?

"What on earth…" he sputtered, staring incredulously at the humungous pile of clothes there. The poor storeroom was filled to bursting with them.

"…there isn't enough space," Sakura finished, gesturing at the mountain of garments. Poor Syaoran was gaping like a fish out of water.

"What are we going to do with all this?" he said at last, tearing his eyes away from the clothes.

"I was hoping that you would come up with a solution," she said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head with an idiotic grin plastered on her face.

Silence fell, lying like a heavy blanket between them.

"You're impossible," Syaoran sighed, shaking his head. This caused his wayward hair to brush his face, adding to his charm. Most surprisingly, Sakura appeared unmoved by his looks, unlike the majority of the female population. Now that was unusual, and it piqued Syaoran's interest and curiosity. Not that he liked being chased, mind you.

"Help?" she murmured as she slung an arm around his. The boy turned a dark red colour. His skin tingled under her touch. She was warm and she provided a comforting presence, true; but that did not change the fact that she was a _girl_.

Wait. What was he thinking! She, provide warmth? No, no, no.

Girls should be avoided at all costs. Syaoran shuddered involuntarily as he remembered the way his four sisters treated him at home.

"_Ne, come with us, Syaoran!"_

"_Iie!" Syaoran struggled hard against his sisters' grip, but four older girls were apparently more than enough to match his meagre strength, proving his effort futile._

"_Now sit," Fuutie commanded happily, pushing him down onto a stool._

"_Nee-san!"_

"_Stay still, Syaoran, unless you want makeup smeared all over your face!" His sister commanded, placing her hands on her hips. Behind her, the remaining three siblings advanced slowly. All of them held make-up accessories and wore identical evil smiles on their faces. They even had the same glint in their eyes!_

"_Now close your eyes…"_

"_I'm not your dolly!" Syaoran protested angrily, trying to stand up. The stool he was sitting on fell onto its side with a deafening crash._

"_**Syaoran**…!" Fuutie said dangerously. The girl towered over him, looking very intimidating. "Sit still and let us practice on you, OR ELSE."_

_Poor Syaoran gulped and nodded meekly, not trusting himself to speak._

_All four of his sisters crowded around the stool, hiding sly intentions beneath their sweet smiles…_

Syaoran shuddered. Yup, girls are **definitely** to be avoided at all costs. Sakura's soft touch brought out all the repulsion he had buried deep in his chest, causing a nova blast.

"Get away from me!" he spat. He jerked his arm away, glaring at her. Unfortunately, his actions caused Sakura to lose her footing and she fell backwards. Her cry of surprise alerted him to his mistake, but it was too late.

With a sickening '_thunk_', Sakura's head collided with the armrest of the sofa, rendering her unconscious. A soft moan escaped her lips just before her body went limp on the floor.

Syaoran's eyes widened. He was rooted to the spot, seemingly frozen. The sight of the girl's unmoving form scared him. Why? Why didn't she move? Couldn't she?

"No," he whispered, dropping down to his knees beside her. "Kinomoto-san, are you alright?"

On impulse, he slipped an arm under her and brought her closer to his body. Sakura's head lolled loosely, lifelessly. Her silky brown hair draped itself on his arm, brushing it with a gentleness that felt rare to him.

Syaoran's brow creased in anxiety. "Kinomoto-san, wake up," he coaxed gently, hoping to shake her out of oblivion. It didn't work.

Something thick and warm trickled slowly down his arm, filling him with a sense of foreboding. His grip on her fragile torso tightened slightly. No, please no….

He froze at the sight of it.

Blood. Fearfully, he traced it back to where it came from – the back of Sakura's head.

….

Syaoran faced frantically up and down the eerily silent corridor. His every step rang shrilly in his ears, torturing him mentally for causing an innocent harm. Every so often he would glance anxiously at the light above the surgery room door, looking away when he saw that it was still glowing.

He felt as though it was his fault. Scratch that, he _knew_ he was at fault. _He_ was the reason Sakura was behind that accursed door, unconscious and unmoving.

Snarling, he slammed his fist into the nearest wall, shocking those in the vicinity. A blinding pain seared up his arm at the impact, attacking his nerves with bolts of lightning. It hurt, but the boy was oblivious to it.

Kinomoto must have had been through more pain than him, anyway….

"Excuse me, sir," a doctor coughed. Syaoran looked up grudgingly, only to allow a spark of hope when he saw the man in white.

"How is she faring, doctor?" he asked anxiously.

"She suffered a concussion," the latter replied. He looked grim, and that served to deepen Syaoran's feeling of unease.

"And…?"

The doctor sighed. "Blood has clotted in her brain, and I'm afraid that she has to undergo surgery to remove it if her condition does not improve."

"Do it then," Syaoran urged. He felt so responsible for her condition. He was the reason she was in a coma, after all.

"But -" the doctor hesitated, as though unsure of his next course of action.

"But…?"

"We need a family member to sign some papers before we can do so," he answered lamely. "And you are not family, are you? You don't look like her."

Syaoran slumped against the whitewashed wall, defeated. True, he wasn't a family member, and the hospital required the signature of one. Why was the procedure so tedious?

The doctor observed him intently for a while. Finally, he said, "You care a lot for her, don't you? Are you her partner?"

Startled, Syaoran looked up to meet his kind azure eyes. The man was by no means young. Wrinkles had found their way to the corners of his eyes and his cheeks sagged slightly. Despite that, his eyes still twinkled as merrily as those of a young man, free of worries and regrets.

"No," he said finally, standing up straight. "She's just…a friend."

The doctor's eyes danced mischievously. "I see. Just a _friend_?"

"Yes. Just that, nothing more." _Only a friend…._

_Kinomoto is but a friend, nothing more._

Syaoran clenched his fist. Yes, that's right. _Nothing but a friend._ That was what she meant to him.

She was a friend.

**END OF CHAPTER 3**

….

**Author's Notes:**

I admit, it was a little rushed. I'll clean it up, I promise!

I'll try to update soon. But give me some motivation? –grins and holds out a hand for reviews-

Review please. Normal reviews, criticism, and yes, even flames are accepted. BUT. The flame must be reasonable okay? Don't send a review full of pretty words. Tell me my flaws.

Thank you. This lousy author is now signing out in case she forgets to wake up tomorrow morning.


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